Ezra 8:21

Easy To Read Version

There near the Ahava River, I (Ezra) announced that we all should fast. {\cf2\super [53]} We should fast to make ourselves humble before our God. We wanted to ask God for a safe trip for ourselves, our children, and for all the things we owned.

Cross References

2 Chronicles 20:3

Jehoshaphat became afraid, and he decided to ask the Lord what to do. He announced a time of fasting {\cf2\super [223]} for everyone in Judah.

2 Chronicles 20:4

The people of Judah came together to ask for help from the Lord. They came from out of all the towns of Judah to ask for the Lord’s help.

Ezra 8:15

I, (Ezra) called all those people to meet together at the river that flows toward Ahava. We camped at that place for three days. I learned there were priests in that group, but there were no Levites.

Ezra 8:31

On the twelfth day of the first month {\cf2\super [57]} we left the Ahava River and started toward Jerusalem. God was with us, and he protected us from enemies and robbers along the way.

Nehemiah 9:1

Then on the 24th day of that same month, the people of Israel gathered together for a day of fasting. {\cf2\super [48]} They wore clothes of sadness and put ashes on their heads \{to show they were sad and upset\}.

Psalm 137:1

We sat by the rivers in Babylon\par and cried as we remembered Zion. {\cf2\super [628]} \par

Psalm 5:8

Lord, show me your right way of living.\par People are looking for my weaknesses,\par so show me how you want me to live.\par

Psalm 5:9

Those people don’t tell the truth.\par They are liars that twist the truth.\par Their mouths are like empty {\cf2\super [27]} graves.\par They say nice things to other people,\par but they are only trying to trap them.\par

Psalm 8:2

From the mouths of children and babies\par come songs of praise to you.\par You gave them \{these powerful songs\}\par to silence all your enemies.\par

Proverbs 3:6

Think about God in all that you do. Then he will help you.

Isaiah 30:21

Then, if you do wrong and go (live) the wrong way (to the right or to the left), you will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the right way. You should go this way!”

Isaiah 35:8

At that time, there will be a road there. This highway will be called “The Holy Road.” Evil people will not be allowed to walk on that road. No fools {\cf2\super [332]} will go to that road. Only good people will walk on that road.

Isaiah 42:16

Then I will lead the blind people\par in a way they never knew.\par I will lead the blind people\par to places they have never been before.\par I will change darkness into light for them.\par And I will make the rough ground smooth.\par I will do the things I promised!\par And I will not leave my people.\par

Isaiah 49:10

The people will not be hungry.\par They will not be thirsty.\par The hot sun and wind will not hurt them.\par Why? Because God comforts them\par and God will lead them.\par He will lead them near springs of water.\par

Isaiah 58:3

Now those people say, “We stop eating food to show honor to you. Why don’t you see us? We hurt our bodies to show honor to you. Why don’t you notice us?”

Isaiah 58:5

Do you think on those special days for not eating food that all I want is to see people punish their bodies? Do you think I want people to look sad? Do you think I want people to bow their heads like dead plants and wear clothes of sadness? Do you think I want people to sit in ashes to show their sadness? That is what you do on your special days for not eating food. Do you think that is what the Lord wants?

Jeremiah 10:23

Lord, I know that a person does not really own his life.\par People don’t really know the right way to live.\par

Jeremiah 42:3

Jeremiah, pray that the Lord your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.”

Daniel 9:3

Then I turned to God, my Master. I prayed to him and asked him for help. I did not eat any food, and I put on the clothes that showed I was sad. And I put dirt on my head.

Joel 1:14

Tell the people that there will be a special time for not eating food. Call the people together for a special meeting. Bring the leaders and all the people that live in the land together. Bring them to the temple {\cf2\super [7]} of the Lord your God, and pray to the Lord.

Leviticus 16:29

“This law will always continue for you: On the tenth {day} of the seventh month, you must not eat food. [297] You must not do any work. None of the travelers or foreigners living in your land can do any work either.

Leviticus 16:31

This day is a very important day of rest for you. You must not eat food. [300] This law will continue forever.

Leviticus 23:29

“If any person refuses to fast [410] on this day, he must be separated from his people.

Jonah 3:5

The people of Nineveh believed \{the message from\} God. The people decided to stop eating for a time \{to think about their sins\}. The people put on special clothes \{to show that they were sorry\}. All the people in the city did this—the most important people and the least important people.

Jonah 3:7

The king wrote a special message. The king sent this message through the city:

Numbers 14:3

Did the Lord bring us to this new land to be killed in war? The enemy will kill us and take our wives and children! It would be better for us to go back to Egypt.”

Numbers 14:31

You were afraid and complained that your enemies in that new land would take your children away from you. But I tell you that I will bring those children into the land. They will enjoy the things that you refused to accept.

Acts 2:39

This promise is for you. It is also for your children and for the people that are far away. It is for every person that the Lord our God calls to himself.”

Judges 20:26

Then all the people of Israel went up to the city of Bethel. At that place they sat down and cried to the Lord. They did not eat anything all day, until evening. They also offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the Lord.

1 Samuel 7:6

The Israelites met together at Mizpah. They got water and poured it out before the Lord. {In this way, they began a time of fasting.} They did not eat any food that day and they confessed their sins. They said, “We have sinned against the Lord.” So Samuel served as a judge [86] of Israel at Mizpah.